The Community
Press Telling your story
Volume 112, Issue 40
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
$1 Including GST
Local RCMP members helping Birthday Wishes come true Killam RCMP Detachment members (from left) Cst. Jacob Ott, Cst. Travis Norton, Corp. Trent Cleveland, and Cst. Jake Rains dropped by Walker Thomas’s (front) house on Friday, April 3, to wish him a happy birthday. This is the first visit of a new detachment initiative that will see members make at least one visit a week to a child aged four through 10 having a birthday during COVID-19’s time of social distancing. The ‘Press also produced a video of the event, available on Youtube and Facebook, which garnered tens of thousands of views and hundreds of shares over the weekend. ERIC ANDERSON PHOTO
Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Killam RCMP Detachment Acting Commander Trent Cleveland celebrated his son’s sixth birthday last week, and it occurred to him that his son wasn’t the only child whose birthday has been affected by COVID-19. “I was thinking for kids that are stuck at home for their birthdays that we (RCMP) can drive to their house and sing them Happy Birthday over the megaphone,” Cleveland said. Enter Flagstaff Victim Services Coordinator Noreen Metz, “What an awesome idea!” she said. Metz quickly put out a call for Flagstaff-area children between four and 10 having a birthday. Amana Plett saw Metz’s social media query, and decided to put her son Walker’s name up, as he was having a birthday on Friday, April 3. “He was supposed to go to my dad’s house and then go to a Flames game at the Saddledome,” she says, “but all that got cancelled with COVID-19.” Metz moved quickly, pulling everyone together and making arrangements for the surprise visit to happen the next day.
Walker, stuck at home on his eighth birthday, had no idea what was in store for him. Around 10 a.m. Plett got Walker to come stand outside the house, located in the rural countryside, and just minutes later, sirens could be heard in the distance. Three RCMP vehicles pulled into the yard, and four members got out of the vehicle, to Walker’s amazement. Cleveland called out, “Happy Birthday, Walker!” Then Constable Jacob Ott, Constable Jake Rains, and Cst. Travis Norton stepped forward and Norton, who was wearing his red serge uniform, pulled out a giant sign that said, “Happy 8th Birthday, Walker!” All four RCMP members then sang “Happy Birthday” to the very happy boy through their megaphones. “It really made Walker’s birthday,” says Plett. “Not too many kids get this opportunity, and he knows it was maybe a once-in-a-lifetime thing that just happened!” She says Walker was completely in the dark about what was going to happen, and he was very surprised and touched by the local members’ gesture.
“He got on the phone to his grandparents right afterwards to tell them,” she says. A video of the whole event went on The Community Press’ Facebook and Youtube in the early afternoon, and by Monday morning had reached 47,000+ people, and was still getting shares and comments. Cleveland said the RCMP Alberta K Division thought it was awesome, too, and shared it on their social media. Birthday greetings to Walker followed with many of the shares, with one all the way from Texas, with positive reactions from those who saw the video. Many voiced their praise and appreciation to the RCMP for
reaching out to the community in such a positive way during such a difficult time. The Killam RCMP members are still gathering names for other children ages four through 10 with April birthdays, and will draw a name at least once per week. Cleveland says that they may do more than one visit per week if time and caseloads permit. One local business, Main Street Medley in Alliance, has donated a reuseable birthday sign to the Detachment for members to carry on their visits. For any Flagstaff County and Amisk resident (all served by the Killam RCMP Detachment) who wants to enter a child who
is having a birthday, just message Flagstaff Victim Services through their Facebook page, or email them at Flagstaffvsu@gmail.com with the child’s name, age, birthday, and town, as well as parents’ name and contact information to arrange a visit. RCMP members found time on Monday, April 6, to pay a second visit, this time to birthday girl Langsten, who was celebrating her 10th birthday from her home in Killam. Cst. Ott and Cst. Rains were joined by Cst. David Boisvert-Cormier in singing Happy Birthday. Cleveland will hold a weekly draw for all of April, and may extend after that, depending on the situation.
LESLIE CHOLOWSKY PHOTO
RCMP were able to slip away from the office on Monday for a quick visit to Langsten on her 10th birthday.